‘Norwegian Wood’ set for U.S. release

Soda, Red Flag to handle Tran Ang Hung pic

By DAVE McNARY
Tran Ang Hung’s “Norwegian Wood” has been set for a U.S. release by Soda Pictures and Red Flag Releasing.
Red Flag will handle the theatrical release in January along with VOD while Soda will handle DVD releasing in mid-2012.
“Norwegian Wood” played at the Venice and Toronto festivals. It’s based on Haruki Murakami’s novel, published in 1987, and stars Kenichi Matsuyama, Rinko Kikuchi and newcomer Kiko Mizuhara.
Pic focuses on the loves and losses of a sensitive male college student in the 1960s who is more interested in American literature than in the era’s political upheavals.
Tran won the Venice Golden Lion in 1995 for “Cyclo.”
Soda/Red Flag will partner with Vintage Books to release the movie tie-in version of the novel in the U.S. and Canada. Mongrel Media will release the film in Canada.